Individuals register and submit an abstract for their own paper. Undergraduate and graduate student submissions require the name and email address of a faculty sponsor. The Conference Program Chair groups these together according to related topics or themes into sessions of 4-5 speakers. Each speaker is allotted 20 minutes.

Session in which 4-5 presenters have individual papers with a connecting theme and have pre-organized their session. The chair of an organized session should submit a Session Abstract that describes the overall theme. Each member of the session must register and submit an individual abstract for their own paper. Each speaker is allotted 20 minutes.

Round Table and Salon Sessions are organized session in which all participants are speaking on various aspects of the same topic. Rather than each speaker having 20 minutes, these sessions might have each speaker making a brief presentation, after which the discussion typically involves the participation of the audience—however, the exact format is flexible. The Session Chair submits an abstract that describes the overall theme. It’s up to the organizer of the Round Table or Salon Session if they want to have the session members provide an individual abstract. All members of the session must register.

Individuals register and submit an abstract for their own poster. The Conference Program Chair will group these together depending upon how many posters are submitted. During the poster session, audience members come and go; each poster author stands by their poster and answers questions about their posters as needed.

Individuals may show their work as a film or multi-media presentation. Each person showing their film or other media presentation must register and submit an abstract.

An interactive session focused on skills, methods, pedagogy, professional development, or community engagement. For example, a workshop on career paths for Anthropology graduates may engage participants in sharing career advice and experiences, brainstorming pathways, and working on application materials. Attendees will not pre-register so the number of participants may vary. All workshop organizers must register.

We are also accepting submissions of visual artwork that resonates with the 2027 theme.
All accepted images will be considered for awards, including the opportunity to be featured on the cover of the 2027 program.

Accepted Formats Include:

• Photography
• Paintings and drawings
• Digital illustrations (non-AI-generated)Sculptural or physical media (submitted as photographs)

 AI-generated images will not be accepted.

Artists whose work is accepted must become SWAA members to participate in the exhibition and to be considered for awards.

Artists do not need to be present at the conference to receive an award.

Submission Guidelines:

All Submissions (Required):

• Submitted as .jpg files
• Include a citation placard with:
  • Title of the piece
  • Artist’s name and institutional affiliation
  • Name(s) of any person(s) or object(s) pictured
  • Description of the piece and how it relates to the theme
  • If the image is of an existing artwork, include: artist name, artwork title, date created, and materials used

For Physical (Printed) Image Submissions:

• Image size: 8.5×11” or larger
• Preferably mounted on foam core or printed on sturdy paper
• Placard should also be mounted on foam core

For Digital Image Submissions:

• Save in high resolution suitable for display on a PowerPoint slide
• Upon acceptance, artists may be asked to submit a higher-resolution version
• Citation placards will be displayed on a separate slide

• Each session room will be equipped with a laptop, screen, and projector. Session rooms will not have Wi-Fi so presenters will need to bring what they need on a flash drive.
• Films will need to be brought on a flash drive or CD as the rooms will not have wi-fi.
• If other technology is needed for your type of media presentation, please email the SWAA Program Chair at southwestanthro@gmail.com for more information.
• Easels for posters are provided, as well as poster boards to which posters can be clipped.